Dogs have always held a profound mystique over humans. Not only as valid friends, but in debates about language development. Our new scientific review, Let’s Talk About “Talking” Dogs! tackles the answer to that intriguing question. Theoretical linguists Dr. Rita Lenkei and her smart dog discuss the ways in which dogs might be taught to speak, and if it’s even possible. The interdisciplinary review combines qualitative and quantitative perspectives. It’s a fascinating exploration of how dogs communicate and what that can teach us about the development of language in humans.
For centuries, the idea of a “talking dog” has been the ultimate fantasy, existing as the favored premise of myths, novels, and movies. These creative representations pique audience interest over what’s possible for dogs to communicate using speech like humans. Researchers like Dr. Paula Pérez Fraga emphasize the importance of focusing on the unique ways dogs already communicate rather than merely contemplating the idea of verbal dialogue. Dogs possess a rich repertoire of vocalizations and non-verbal signals that convey emotions and intentions, highlighting their existing communication skills.
Understanding Canine Communication
Dogs communicate primarily through body language and secondarily through vocalization and facial expressions. Barking, whining and growling are among the myriad of ways canines communicate their desires and feelings. In addition, their overall body posture and tail position are key indicators that help them communicate with us and other dogs around them. Through comparison and analysis of these diverse forms of communication, scientists can learn more about the cognitive processes that govern language itself.
Led by Dr. Tamás Faragó at Eötvös University, this research group has studied dogs’ incredible communicative skills. As he notes, this research is highly relevant to larger questions about how language changes. Understanding the ways in which dogs communicate with humans can shed light on cognitive and neural precursors to speech-readiness that we observe in humans. This exploration deepens understanding of dog behavior and contributes to ongoing discussions about the evolution of language across species.
Evolutionary Perspectives on Speech
From an evolutionary biological perspective, the very idea that dogs might be able to gain the ability to speak, should they like, is a mind-boggling proposition. If dogs had the ability to speak as humans do, the evolutionary benefits of developing that ability would have been enormous in terms of thriving alongside humans. In these situations, canines soon develop their vocal qualities. This development enriches their capacity to speak authoritatively and persuasively on behalf of the human public interest.
There are dangers in reading back against the feasibility of speech at all into dogs. The anatomy of a dog’s vocal apparatus is very different from our own. This variation might make it impossible for dogs to manipulate the range of sounds required for human speech. Regardless, the study of this topic inspires scholars to push the limits of what’s known about canine communication.
Implications for Language Evolution
Few questions have more important implications for our understanding of language and cognition within and across species than the study of dogs’ communicative skills. Knowledge derived from the study of canid-human relationships can feed into the development of hypotheses regarding empathy, altruism, and other aspects of interspecies cooperation. As scientists dig deeper into these intricate dynamics, they will perhaps find more similarities that will give insight into how human language evolves.